Dublin v Donegal

Photographer: Dáire Brennan of Sportsfile

What and where: I was in the Upper Cusack midway through the second half for the All-Ireland SFC semi-final between Dublin and Donegal. I saw Colm McFadden was on his own up front for most of the half. Up high you can observe it better, and I suppose that’s the shot you’re looking for, so I said I’d try to get that shot.

Circumstances: I saw it in the first half and took one where there were only four Dublin defenders back so I kept an eye out for it again. I saw for this one where there were eight Dublin defenders in the half and I got the smaller lens to get it quick. I knew Cluxton would take a short kick out and I knew Donegal would drop back and meet the man on and I knew there’d be a lot of Dublin players back.

Equipment: That was on a Nikon D3, 70-200 lens.

It works because: Because so many people have been talking so much about the tactics used in that game with the attackers and defenders coming at each other in lines like a rugby team. Donegal set up a one-man forward line and didn’t work in the end but the shot illustrates how the tactics went.

Interview: Terry Reilly, Irish Examiner, Saturday, September 3, 2011